IT’S a dreadful thing but Andrew Mirosch, executive chef at Sirromet Wines, is about to sacrifice his dreadlocks.
Mr Mirosch has been growing his beloved “dreadies’’ for more than 20 years.
Regardless, he’s happy to take a cut to raise awareness and much needed funds for the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
Mr Mirosch will take part in the “shed the dreads for a cure’’ which aims to raise more than $10,000.
Despite the modest target, Mr Mirosch has already raised $28,000.
“I just emailed everyone I knew,’’ he said. “The best single donation is $5250.’’
All profits will go directly to support critical cancer research at Berghofer where researchers are working to develop diagnostics and targeted cancer treatments.
Berghofer is based at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research which operates out of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.
Mr Mirosch will put on a two-course lunch at Sirromet’s Restaurant Lurleens.
The function will be hosted by wine maker Adam Chapman.
The afternoon on August 4 will include an auction, raffles and, of course, the big shave.
The $99 per person event has already been sold out but organisers hope people will still get behind it by donating at the event fundraiser page.
QIMR Berghofer was set up in 1945 as the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.
At the start Dr Edward Derrick did ground-breaking work on Q fever, scrub typhus and leptospirosis.
These days QIMR concentrates its research on cancer, infectious diseases, mental health and chronic disorders, the latter in response to rapidly changing community needs.
